Drunken gait after Ivermectin (Heartgard) in dogs
The FDA has received 26 reports of drunken gait in dogs after Ivermectin. That is 0.2% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.0% across reports for all dog medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.
26Reports
65%Marked serious
50%Recovered
23%Died or euthanised
60 daysTypical onset
Sponsored
How soon it started
How the animals did
Problems reported at the same time
Age of the animals
About this medicine
Ivermectin prevents heartworm disease (monthly).
Products with this ingredient include Heartgard. The FDA hides brand names in its public data, so these reports cover every product with the same active ingredients.
Some herding breeds (for example Collies) carry the MDR1 gene variant and can be more sensitive to this drug class at high doses.
Questions owners ask
- Can Ivermectin cause drunken gait in dogs?
- 26 reports link the two, but a report alone does not prove the medicine was the cause: other illnesses, other medicines or coincidence can be involved. Your vet can judge it for your animal.
- How soon after a dose was it reported?
- In half of the reports with dates, it started within 60 days of the first dose.
- What should I do?
- Don't give another dose until you've spoken to your vet, and keep the packaging so you can tell them the product and dose. Your vet can also report it to the FDA (or you can, through the manufacturer or FDA form 1932a).
Drunken gait with similar medicines
- Drunken gait after Ivermectin + Pyrantel (Heartgard Plus) 41 reports · 0.0% of its reports
- Drunken gait after Milbemycin Oxime + Spinosad (Trifexis) 133 reports · 0.1% of its reports
All reported side effects of Ivermectin in dogs · Medicines most reported with drunken gait